


Different

by KINGBeerZ



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen, Growing Up, Manakete (fire emblem), Nohrian Scum and Proud
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-27 06:24:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12575692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KINGBeerZ/pseuds/KINGBeerZ
Summary: Corrin had always known he was different, but his family was there to pull him through his doubts.





	Different

**Author's Note:**

> Okay here's a sweet little fic about Corrin and his Nohrian family. I really love the interactions between the family members in game, how genuine and strong the bonds of Xander, Camilla, Elise, Leo and Corrin feel, and I just wanted to show how these could be super important to Corrin as a person especially given their less than idyllic upbringing. If you like the fic or want to talk about anything please leave a comment, I would love feedback. More notes at the end of the work. I hope you enjoy!

Corrin knew he was different from his siblings. Xander and Camilla, Elise and Leo, they got to live in Windmire, to stay with father, to do right by Nohr. Corrin had spent his whole life confined to the northern fortress, where the unsoftened might of Nohr’s bitter winds would bite right through you if you stood on the battlements, and a persistent damp chill drifted through the rest of the fortress. He loved the staff of the castle, Felicia with her constant mishaps which Flora always ended up fixing, Jakob and his constant dedication (even if it grew smothering at times), Gunter with his stern face that made the gentle smiles of approval he gave all the more precious, even the new girl Lilith with her almost superhuman connection with the horses stabled at the fortress, and the ravenous appetite she sometimes displayed. Yet he still felt stifled, trapped in a tiny world, hemmed in by ancient dour walls of stone, built by some long forgotten mason centuries past. 

As he grew older Corrin felt more and more restless, and doubtful, he noticed more physical differences between himself and other people. Everyone else’s ears possessed a regular curved shape, yet his own tapered towards the end forming a point (they also stuck out a bit more, but he didn’t think that was quite as unusual). Examining his face closely in a mirror he noticed that the pupils of his crimson eyes were less rounded and more slitted, a trait that he’d read was normally associated with lizards and other reptiles. Even his hair marked him as different from his siblings, they nearly all had father’s pale blonde locks, only Camilla differed with her long lavender curls, yet even from her Corrin was distinctly different, his own hair a vibrant aquamarine that darkened to a pure black towards the end of its strands. When Lilith first arrived and he noticed that her own hair had a similar effect, but turning crimson instead. He’d excitedly tried to quiz her on where she came from, hoping for some clue of his mother’s origin, she had awkwardly told him that she dyed her hair, swiftly dashing his hopes and leaving him feeling more than a little embarrassed at his excitement. 

He was nine years old when he first went to any of his siblings with his concern, deciding upon Camilla, with her sweetness and motherly nature she was always the easiest to bring problems to. It was the middle of winter and she’d come to visit, one evening they were sat together on a lounge before a crackling fire which beat away some of the pervasive northern chill. Camilla held him close to her, head resting on her lap as she idly ran her fingers through his hair. Corrin took a moment and a breath, hesitated and finally spoke.  
“Camilla,” his voice was barely a whisper, yet his doting sister heard.  
“What is it darling? You sound worried.” Corrin flinched slightly at her response, he really was obvious.  
“I wanted to ask you… why do, why do I look so weird?” His words were halting and hesitant. Camilla’s fingers stalled for a moment, before resuming their smooth glide through his hair.  
“You don’t look weird, you’re my darling little brother and you look just perfect.” She kissed the top of his head after her statement, but Corrin wasn’t about to give up on the conversation so easily. He pushed himself out of her lap and sat up so he could look his big sister in the eye (which did require craning his neck due to their markedly different heights).  
“But I am different, my ears, my eyes, even my hair! And I have to stay here all the time, I can’t go and be with you guys in Castle Krakenburg, and I don’t know why. And I just- I just want to know what’s wrong with me…” He trailed off, eyes stinging from tears, and voice catching. A pained look overtook Camilla’s face, she quickly gathered Corrin into her arms hugging him tight, his head resting on her chest. She rocked back and forth, Corrin swaying with her as she hummed sweetly to him until his sobs died down to the occasional hiccough.  
“Now darling, don’t you worry about this. Where did you even get the idea that there was something wrong with you?” She asked softly.  
“Why else would I be here? There’s something wrong with me, isn’t there?”  
“No there’s not, and anyone who says differently will have to deal with me,” She gave him a tight squeeze before separating and tilting his face up. She pulled a silk handkerchief from a pocket and wiped his teary eyes.  
“You just need to remember, that no matter what your big sister will always be here to look after you, okay?” She gave him a soft tap on his nose. Corrin gave a soft laugh and felt his heart grow a little lighter.  
“Now why don’t you rest your sweet little head on my lap and I’ll sing you a lullaby.” She crooned to him, he gave her a grateful smile before complying. 

With Camilla around he could forget that there was something wrong with him.

Corrin’s fears and doubts were assuaged for a time, life went on in the Northern fortress, and he treasured each visit his siblings gave him, shortly after he turned ten, when Leo was visiting one day he made a depressing discovery. He had been playing (and losing badly) to Leo in chess, his ivory pieces one by one falling to Leo’s ebon ones, until finally his king was surrounded.  
“Checkmate.” He declared clearly. “That’s three games you’ve lost Corrin, would you care for another?” Leo mocked, although without heat. Corrin just laughed in return, bringing a smirk to his younger brother’s face. He waved his hands before him.  
“No Leo, I surrender, please have mercy!” He melodramatically cried, faking a faint. Bringing an undignified snort from Leo who quickly looked aghast at his own reaction.  
“Come on Leo, I think I need some lunch, we can go and see what they’re making in the kitchens.” He rose to leave and Leo shortly followed suit only for Corrin to stop short upon noticing something.  
“Leo… are you taller than me?” Leo turned around and raised an eyebrow.  
“Corrin, I’ve been taller than you these past six months.” He answered flatly. Shock rattled Corrin.  
“But, but I’m older,” I should be taller, he thought to himself.  
“Well, any number of things could have stifled your growth, the colder environment, smaller or less frequent meals, an illness as an infant, you could take after your mother more.” Leo shrugged.  
“Could be almost anything really.”  
“Wait, do you think maybe I could get most of my appearance from my mother?” Corrin queried. Once more Leo shrugged.  
“Well, it seems likely, you don’t really seem to take after father, not like Xander at least, he certainly isn’t a small man.” Leo tilted his head and pondered for a moment “although it could be recessive.” Ignoring the end of Leo’s statement he grabbed his little brother’s arm excitedly.  
“Do you think we might be able to find out where she was from?” Corrin was practically bouncing in his eagerness by this point. Leo chuckled and waved an arm to indicate the library around them.  
“Well, we are in the right place to look. With how… distinctive your features are we should be able to turn up something.” Corrin turned and dragged Leo back to the bookshelves at the back of the room, ignoring his brother’s half-hearted protests about lunch. 

They never found books that said where Corrin’s mother might be from, although they did find books with descriptions and pictures of strange insects and terrifying deep sea fish. Accounts of travelers meeting with Kitsune and Wolfskins, maps of exotic lands and many heavy tomes of arcane knowledge (which particularly grabbed Leo’s attention). Some hours later Corrin was lost in a book detailing some exotic tropical wildlife when a firm knock came from the door, shortly followed by Gunter entering.  
“Milords, are you in here, you were not at lunch and Felicia is growing quite distressed?”  
“Gunter did you know that there’s a lizard that can change the colour of its skin?” Corrin turned the book so that Gunter could see the picture, the knight gave a faintly amused look.  
“I did not milord, I see that you are okay, I will have some dinner sent up for you and Lord Leo shortly.” Gunter pivoted and walked out of the library with precise strides. Half an hour later the brothers sat at a small table in the library enjoying a savory beef stew.  
“Leo.” Corrin said softly. Leo hummed in response, prompting him to continue.  
“Thanks for today, it was really fun.” Leo gave him an appraising look before smiling in return.  
“Research always is, maybe next time I can bring a spell tome and show you the basics of magic.” Corrin grinned widely in response.  
“Sounds like fun!” Leo groaned at his exuberance.  
“Please try to take it seriously.” Corrin just laughed.

With Leo around he could remember all the fantastic and strange things in the world, and feel that maybe being a bit strange was okay.

The more he grew, the more the loneliness of the Norther fortress began to get to him, his forced isolation grew more and more grating. He knew he shouldn’t complain, but still he just felt more stifled as time went on. No one was able to dispel the darkness and gloom of the fortress quite like his little sister though. Every time she visited she would tackle him and nearly knock him over with her exuberant hugs, normally declaring something along the lines of “I missed you soooo much!”

Elise came to brighten the fortress a few weeks after Corrin’s thirteenth bringing a stack of presents and sweets. Corrin spent the day playing with his little sister around the fortress, sprinting through the dreary halls in tag, hiding in the darkened catacombs, with her buoyant attitude even the depressing fortress gained a new light and excitement. Come evening the pair sat upon the battlements, ignoring the chill to look up at the night sky. A clear night in Nohr, especially this far north was a rarity and the siblings gazed in wonder at the shining full moon and the blanket of stars spread out above them. 

“Big brother, can I ask you something?” Elise softly broke the silence. Corrin turned to see his little sister looking uncharacteristically serious.  
“Sure, is there something you need help with?” He forced a smile to comfort her.  
“Do you ever feel like… like Xander and Camilla aren’t telling you things?” She whispered.  
“I feel like everyone isn’t telling me things,” Corrin started, surprised at the cynicism of his own words. Yet he knew them to be true. Elise looked at him with wide eyes.  
“You too?” Corrin gave a slight nod.  
“Father sends them out on missions sometimes… whenever they come back, they act all weird, Xander always ignores me for days, and Camilla starts hugging me and Leo all the time, well more than normal. But sometimes if I go to her room I can hear her crying.” Corrin was taken aback. What was it about these missions that was hurting his siblings so much?  
“Whenever I ask them why they’re so sad, they just say they’re fine, and that I shouldn’t worry.” The seven year old shook her head in frustration, blonde curls bouncing.  
“Why won’t they tell me? I want to help them.” Corrin had never seen Elise so distressed, he quickly pulled her into a hug, when they moved apart Elise gave him a bright smile.  
“Thanks big brother.” Elise wiped her hand across her eyes.  
“What was it that people aren’t telling you?”  
“Why I have to stay here all the time… but I think I know why now.” Elise looked up at her big brother.  
“You do?” Corrin nodded firmly.  
“I think Xander, Camilla and even Leo… they just want to keep us safe, I think they don’t tell us things or they keep us here, because they think we’ll be worried, or get hurt.” Corrin said slowly. Elise pouted.  
“But that’s silly we could help them!” She said determinedly, Corrin smiled at her.  
“Well, they’re coming here in a few days, maybe we could do something good for them.” Elise thought for a minute before her face lit up.  
“I know, we can bake them a big cake, and we can all eat it together, it’ll be something we can share.” Corrin laughed loudly only for Elise to give him an exaggerated frown.  
“What? Do you think it’s a bad idea?” Corrin happily met his sister’s gaze.  
“No. I think it’s perfect, something we can all share.”

With Elise around Corrin could remember that everyone had their own doubts, and that being there for his family could always help them. 

Going into his teens Corrin’s lessons began to focus more and more on combat, swordplay training became a daily occurrence and would go on for hours under Gunter’s strict tutelage, except when Xander was visiting, when his big brother would take over his instruction. Corrin knew that as a prince of Nohr he was expected to be an expert fighter. Nohr needed its military might to gain the food they needed to survive through military conquest and annexation. In the rare letters his father sent him a constant threat was held over his head that if he could not excel in combat he could never leave the fortress. 

There were few threats that chilled him more, because with the way he was going he felt certain he would never be allowed to leave. At sixteen he was still remarkably short and weak for his age, no matter how hard he trained he couldn’t seem to build up the strength he needed to properly fight. His sword swings remained feeble and he could never even come close to breaking through Gunter or Xander’s guards. 

Corrin ran forwards towards his brother, struggling to bring his sword through an overhead cut, he shouted as he did so, driving the air through his body to grant whatever extra might he could to his swing. Even so Xander was able to casually block the swing, shoving his blade forward and knocking Corrin back to fall on his rear.  
“On your feet brother, try it again.” Xander commanded. Corrin couldn’t feel the strength in him to take up the blade again.  
“What’s the point?” He said hollowly.  
“Is that it? You just give up? Is that the resolve of a prince of Nohr?” Xander asked imperiously. Corrin just balled his hands into fists.  
“Maybe I’m not… what use would father have for a son so weak?” Corrin heard no response from his brother, a few seconds later a heard the clack of boots on stone before he felt his big brother settle down beside him and settle a firm hand on his shoulder.  
“Is that what you think little prince? That you are a weak child?” Corrin didn’t respond.  
“Stand up.” Xander commanded. He had to repeat himself before Corrin finally complied.  
“I have noticed that you struggle with the sword. I hoped that with time you might become more confident.” Xander said. Corrin scoffed in response.  
“I don’t think I will.” He mumbled.  
“Perhaps if you never change how you fight.” Corrin raised an eyebrow at his brother’s statement.  
“You are Nohrian, we do not give up when we struggle, we find a new path, our resilience is our strength, so tell me little prince, how do you think you might fight better?” Corrin thought for a few minutes, something niggled at the back of his mind, he jumped as he realized the solution.  
“Xander, go stand over there!” he pointed across the training yard, Xander chuckled at his brother’s exuberance but still complied. Corrin took a moment to steady himself before running towards Xander once more, this time before delivering the swing however he pivoted on the ball of his right foot, spinning the blade around himself, for good measure he leapt as he delivered the strike, throwing his body weight behind the blade. His sword rang out against Xander’s with a deafening clang, his brother grunted in surprise and actually staggered back as he guarded Corrin’s attack. Corrin felt his face stretch in a ridiculous grin, Xander’s however was far more dignified, but no less warm.  
“Well Brother, that really was a clever move, care to enlighten me as to how you thought of it.” Xander asked lightly.  
“I remember a few years ago I read a book with Leo about some foreign martial artists, they would use spins to make their kicks hit harder, with the weight of the limb granting more force to the blow.” He replied excitedly.  
“Most ingenious little prince, although you will need to practice to become quicker, your foes will not wait for you to wind up quite so much.” Corrin nodded in understanding. Xander clapped Corrin on the shoulder.  
“I’m proud of you Corrin, you’re a strong man.” Corrin rushed forward and enveloped his big brother in a tight hug, which Xander returned after a moment.  
“Thanks Xander.”  
“Don’t thank me, you did it all yourself.”

With Xander around he could remember what made him strong.

With his family Corrin knew that even if he was different, he still belonged.

**Author's Note:**

> Corrin is a manakete, and I feel that Fates never really touched much on this (which I feel is a massive crime as the manaketes are fascinating and it could add a whole new dimension to their character). Manaketes are physically different from humans in more ways than just the ears, for example they are actually smaller and weaker than humans physically when in their non-dragon form, hence why Corrin struggles with swordplay so much (which I tried to tie in to his elaborate in game style of fighting), the logic of using breath and spinning motion to grant more power to strikes are both from Tae Kwon Do, a martial art I have spent some years training in. Also my Corrin for this fic is essentially default male but with Anankos' aqua blue hair which turns to Mikoto's black at the end (like how Lilith and Anankos have theirs turn red towards the end). The slitted eyes are kind of a headcanon of mine, as in certain pictures to me it looks like Corrin's pupils are more slitted than round. I know that many prefer female Corrin but I personally like male Corrin more as we have so few playable male manaketes in the series (not counting Tellius dragon Laguz) that it feels like a shame to overlook one.


End file.
